The genuine helper.exe file is a software component of Mozilla Firefox by Mozilla. Mozilla Firefox is a web browser. Helper.exe runs the helper module for the Firefox program. This is not an essential Windows process and can be disabled if known to create problems.
Mozilla Firefox is a free, multi-platform, and open-source Internet browser created by the Mozilla Foundation. Firefox was originally written in 2002 under the name, "Phoenix", and eventually released in 2004 by members of the Mozilla community. It is regarded as the spiritual successor of Netscape Navigator. Mozilla Firefox supports the Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, and Android platforms.
Mozilla is a community that develops free software. The community is best known for the web browser, Firefox. Mozilla was created by the Netscape Communications Corporation in 1998 as a project to assist with the development of the Mozilla Application Suite. The name, Mozilla, is an amalgam of "Mosaic" and "Godzilla". The community is aided by the Mozilla Foundation, a non-profit organization created exclusively for the benefit of Mozilla.
The .exe extension on a filename indicates an executable file. Executable files may, in some cases, harm your computer. Therefore, please read below to decide for yourself whether the helper.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you should remove, or whether it is a file belonging to the Windows operating system or to a trusted application.
Description: Helper.exe is not essential for Windows and will often cause problems. Helper.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder or sometimes in a subfolder of Windows folder for temporary files—typically C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\uTorrent\helper\ or C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\.
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 5,266,080 bytes (13% of all occurrences), 8,769,024 bytes and 78 more variants.
The file is not a Windows system file. The program is not visible. The process uses ports to connect to or from a LAN or the Internet. The helper.exe file is digitally signed. The file is a Verisign signed file.
Helper.exe is able to connect to the Internet, monitor applications, manipulate other programs and record keyboard and mouse inputs.
Therefore the technical security rating is 74% dangerous, however you should also read the user reviews.
Uninstalling this variant:
You could also do the following:
If helper.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 72% dangerous. The file size is 5,266,080 bytes (19% of all occurrences), 5,545,472 bytes and 52 more variants.
The program is not visible. Helper.exe is not a Windows core file. The process uses ports to connect to or from a LAN or the Internet. The file has a digital signature.
Helper.exe is able to connect to the Internet, monitor applications, manipulate other programs and record keyboard and mouse inputs.
If helper.exe is located in the Windows folder for temporary files, the security rating is 71% dangerous. The file size is 413,384 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 13,179,660 bytes.
The program is not visible. The file is not a Windows system file.
Helper.exe is able to monitor applications.
Important: Some malware also uses the file name helper.exe, for example Mal/Generic-S (detected by Sophos), and Trojan.Generic.14930598 or Trojan.GenericKD.2720660 (detected by F-Secure). Therefore, you should check the helper.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.
Score
User Comments
service control manager
c:\program files\mozilla thunderbird\uninstall\helper.exe - Norton reported that it made 12 changes to my computer. No action recomended. Modified 11 registry entries. Low threat level. John Beaman
It is a file of My Other Computers disk cloning software. I have used it for several years and like it very muvh. Stephen Bennett
It is a process handler for Mozilla Firefox John Miles
I get errors for firefox, chrome, and ie. I then have to reboot my laptop. I get these errors even when they are not running. I sure would like to remove it, Bill Rutz
This is a malware helper. I recommend uninstalling it out or using a anti malware might help. Wa
uninstall mozilla firefox
its a keylogger Cracking Gods
Well I don't have fire fox, definitely a malware!! Trustedboi
I have two copies of it, one in the Firefox folder and one in the Thunderbird folder.On my Win10 installation the system blocked it on an upgrade to the latest version, but it still seems to work ok. I have not experienced any problems as a result of it being there, so my inclination is to leave it alone for now. Ria
It's weird that this page is both for helper.exe and Helper.exe. While the first one is Mozilla related component, the other is a keylogger and should be extinguished :/ NU&EN
Summary: Average user rating of helper.exe:
based on 15 votes with 12 user comments.
3 users think helper.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
4 users think it's probably harmless.
3 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous.
5 users think helper.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it.
2 users don't grade helper.exe ("not sure about it").
Best practices for resolving helper issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with helper. This means running a scan for malware, cleaning your hard drive using 1cleanmgr and 2sfc /scannow, 3uninstalling programs that you no longer need, checking for Autostart programs (using 4msconfig) and enabling Windows' 5Automatic Update. Always remember to perform periodic backups, or at least to set restore points.
Should you experience an actual problem, try to recall the last thing you did, or the last thing you installed before the problem appeared for the first time. Use the 6resmon command to identify the processes that are causing your problem. Even for serious problems, rather than reinstalling Windows, you are better off repairing of your installation or executing the 7DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth command. This allows you to repair the operating system without losing data.
To get your computer running as fast as it did on day one, you can 8reset your PC. Your personal files will remain intact, but any programs you installed will need to be reinstalled.
To help you analyze the helper.exe process on your computer, the following programs have proven to be helpful: ASecurity Task Manager displays all running Windows tasks, including embedded hidden processes, such as keyboard and browser monitoring or Autostart entries. A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware or a Trojan. A good Bantivirus software detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers, malware and trackers from your hard drive.
Score
User Comments
John Beaman
Steve Clarke (further information)
Stephen Bennett
John Miles
Bill Rutz
Wa
Cracking Gods
Trustedboi
Ria
NU&EN
Summary: Average user rating of helper.exe: based on 15 votes with 12 user comments. 3 users think helper.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 4 users think it's probably harmless. 3 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 5 users think helper.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 2 users don't grade helper.exe ("not sure about it").